Prelude to Disaster
by leiasky
Summary: The year long tour is almost over. One little stop to collect samples before hitting drydock turns into a race against time to discover why Darwin, along with the rest of the ocean’s sea life, has suddenly gone nuts. Set just before Season 1 finale.
1. Teaser

**Notes**: I'm taking a break from scriptwriting to play in someone else's sandbox for a while. It's been a challenge getting back into fan fiction, as a screenplay is written in a different format and tense. But it's been a fun challenge. I may even take this final draft apart and write it in script format as a fun little exercise.

I've researched as much of the medical terms, and military jargon in this story as I could. If they're wrong, please let me know and I will correct. I'm certainly no doctor or submariner.

I'm not sure if I have the characterizations correct, as I've never written in this universe before, but I welcome constructive feedback. For without it, one cannot better themselves. This fandom is pretty old, so there may not be anyone reading anymore, but this was fun to write, regardless.

This has been beta'd by author mal4prez. If you like Firefly, check out her fic, its some of the best.

Takes place just before the season 1 ending episode, 'Higher Power' or 'An Ocean on Fire', if you saw the original broadcast.

**Synopsis**: The year long tour is almost over. Some are moving on, some are staying. One little stop to collect samples before going upworld turns into a race against time to discover why Darwin, along with the rest of the ocean's sea life, has suddenly turned hostile and crazy.

* * *

**Prelude to Disaster**

**Teaser**

Captain Nathan Bridger walked slowly, reflectively down a narrow hallway as the seaQuest sailed through calm waters on its way to dry dock. His first tour of duty in years had nearly come to an end in what he considered the blink of an eye. He couldn't help feel a bit down about it.

He stopped suddenly, touched the wall, and smiled. Above him, the water-filled access tubes his dolphin Darwin routinely used sparkled with fresh sea water.

"It's been a year already," Nathan said to himself. "Boy, does time fly."

"Truer words have never been spoken."

Nathan turned to see Dr. Kristin Westphalen approach. Clad in the light blues of the boat's science contingent and wearing a white lab coat, she looked every bit the professional scientist and friend she had come to be over the last year. She stopped at his shoulder and smiled warmly at him

"Talking to yourself, again, captain?" Her eyes twinkled, a look he knew all too well when she was teasing. "You know it's not good for the chief physician to witness such a thing. I might feel obligated to submit you to a few tests."

Nathan chuckled. There was no fear in his eyes, despite his very well known distaste for any sort of medical treatment. It wasn't surprising, his wife and son had died and there was nothing the medical community could do to prevent it. "You wouldn't."

Kristin cocked her head, pursed her lips, as if truly considering an answer. "Well, it wouldn't do for the Captain to loose his mind so close to the end of a tour."

Nathan opened his mouth to retort but instead took a step closer, into Kristin's space. He leaned down and briefly considered kissing her, but propriety won out. He simply lowered his voice instead. "You're the cause of many a man losing his mind, no doubt."

Kristin chuckled, the lines around her eyes crinkling with a smile. Not for the first time in his life did he wish he could read a woman's mind. He resisted the urge to touch her face, to pull her to him in a kiss. That would have to wait. Wait until dinner, until they were alone, until he could ask her properly. Such a public display between the two during a tour would be highly frowned upon by the brass. Even though, technically, she was a civilian scientist, she still reported to the UEO – and so did he.

Before either of them could say another thing, Lucas bounded around the corner. The boy was wearing clothes too large for his lanky body and his blond hair fell over his eyes in a fashion that Nathan wished was not commonplace for teens nowadays.

"Oh, Captain, I've been looking for you!"

Bridger reluctantly took a step back, as did Kristin. He turned a wide grin on Lucas and extended his arms. "Well, you found me."

"Can I go with you to collect the samples today?"

Nathan raised an eyebrow. "It isn't really anything that important, Lucas."

Lucas shrugged. "I know. Just wanted to go out one more time before the end."

Nathan placed an arm around Lucas' shoulders. "Life isn't ending, Lucas. The tour is."

"And everyone is going to be leaving." Lucas sounded down about it all.

Nathan lifted his eyes to meet Kristin's. They shared a sympathetic look. He hadn't even gotten around to asking her if she would be signing on for another tour. And he knew why. He was afraid of her answer.

"Well, we're not leaving, kiddo. We'll be back next tour." He gaze was directed at Lucas now, but he knew he'd said the words for Kristin's benefit.

Hope swam in Lucas' blue eyes. "You mean, I can come back?"

Nathan drew Lucas down the corridor. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

* * *

Lucas stood with Kristin on the sea deck, watching the monitor in front of them. The water in the moon pool behind them lapped gently at its walls. Nathan and Darwin were out collecting the last samples of their tour and the camera attached to Darwin's aqua-lung breather documented the location in greater detail.

"I wanted to go," Lucas pouted while his eyes scanned the monitor.

"Oh, Lucas, there will be other dives."

"I know."

Kristin turned to him, suspicious. "Is there another reason you wanted to go?"

"To get out of these confining walls for a bit?"

Kristin smiled kindly. "I'm sure there was more to the request than that."

Lucas continued to watch the monitor and Kristin could see the longing in his eyes. They'd all become close over the last year, but none more close than Lucas and Nathan. She had a suspicious feeling that Lucas just wanted to spend some time alone with the captain.

"You know, I think he wants to take you to his island for the summer. Show you around." Kristin had to admit she was a little jealous that Nathan had spoken so openly about his plans where Lucas was concerned. If she could only get him to open up about his plans where she was concerned, it would make her choices a bit easier.

Lucas' eyes widened. "Really?"

"He's mentioned it a few times." She was relieved to see his mood seem to lift.

Lucas frowned. "Not to me."

Kristin touched the teen's wrist where it lay on the counter. "Perhaps he wanted it to be a surprise." And she hoped that she hadn't just ruined it. But Nathan would understand her desire to cheer up the troubled teen.

The radio crackled and Nathan's voice came through it loud and clear.

"Almost done. Just have one more sample to collect."

They could see the captain swimming at the bottom of a small reef teeming with sea life. Every so often they could see something a bit larger swim in and out of the corner of the camera view, but dismissed it as curious critters coming to investigate this stranger in their midst.

Kristin reached forward and touched the comm. "Don't overdue it now, Nathan. You don't want to give my team too much work to do before we dock. It simply wouldn't be fair considering that all your people have to do is set the ship on auto to take us home."

She found herself smiling when he laughed and watched the monitor to see him pushing the last of the samples into a container. She could see Lucas watching her out of the corner of her eyes but didn't turn to him. It would do no good to have the youngest person on the boat figure out something was going on between the captain and the chief medical officer. Even if there wasn't much of anything going on – yet.

The picture suddenly slid away from Bridger and his collection and moved toward the open ocean. A few little aquatic critters swam by the camera and Kristin squinted at the screen.

Lucas reached forward and tapped it. "Wonder what happened?"

Kristin touched the control pad again and spoke into the receiver. "Nathan? Something wrong? Or is Darwin trying to give us a hint that he's ready to come back?"

All they could hear on the other end was static.

The smile faded from her lips as Kristin repeated, "Nathan?"

Lucas went to the moon pool and grabbed the vocoder he used to communicate with Darwin; a device he'd designed himself. He tapped a few buttons and spoke into it. "Darwin, we can't see the captain. Turn around and –"

The camera view swirled in front of them more erratic than before. They could see flailing arms and the captain's containers all floating to the bottom of the sea.

Kristin pushed another button. "Bridge, this is Doctor Westphalen, come in please."

Commander Ford's voice echoed around them. "Bridge. What is it, Doctor?"

But it was Lucas who answered. "Something's going on with the captain. He's not responding and neither is Darwin."

Kristin could hear Communications Officer O'Neill speak immediately. "I'm getting some strange interference from the sonar."

"Track it," Kristin heard Ford say. There was no hesitation in the crisp voice.

Just then, Nathan's voice came over Kristin's receiver. The tone was full of surprise – and fear. And it was breaking up. "Darwin, no, wait, don't –"

Kristin tapped the console, eyes wide with worry. "Nathan? What's going on down there?"

The camera attached to Darwin's aqua lung caught sight of a few rocks falling from the reef above the captain. But the view wasn't steady. It was erratic. Something was agitating Darwin.

The last view they saw before the camera flicked off was a few of the dislodged rocks striking the captain. His body jerked in surprise and then went still.

A look of horror passed Kristin's face. "Oh my god."

Lucas screamed into the translator. "Darwin! Bring him back! Bring him back!"

TBC


	2. Act 1

**Act I**

The bridge was frantic with tension. Everyone sat at their seats, touching buttons, listening to readings, waiting for orders.

"I want a rescue team in the water, stat!" Commander Jonathan Ford called loudly, then turned to an equally concerned Katie Hitchcock, her crystal eyes narrowed in concern. "You have the bridge."

The Lt. Commander nodded curtly. "Aye, sir,"

Tim O'Neill, Comm. officer, swiveled in his seat. "Where are you going?"

Ford kept walking. "To sea deck."

When Ford arrived, he saw Kristin and Lucas standing anxiously beside the moon pool. Darwin and the captain had exited the ship through this pool of water, and so they watched it intently waiting for any sight of him now. He glanced at the clock on the far wall and then into the water. The concerned looks on Lucas and the doctor's faces drew him closer. They were a big family on this boat, and when one of their own was in trouble, they all felt the sting. He reached out and rested a hand on Kristin's shoulder.

Ford watched the flippers of the rescue team disappear through the pool. "Record entry, under 2 minutes."

"Not if he's been without oxygen for that long."

Ford could see the fear in Kristin's eyes when she looked up at him.

"My team is standing by," she said before turning her attention back to the moon pool.

Ford could hear Lucas frantically calling for Darwin and could see the fear in the kid's eyes when he didn't receive a response.

"What happened?" Ford asked Kristin, both to distract her and to gather more information on what they were doing before losing contact with the captain.

"Darwin and the camera just started spinning around." Kristin explained. She was clearly as confused as he.

"Rocks came down from the shelf above the captain," Lucas added. He was still punching commands into the translator but Darwin wasn't talking. "The last thing we saw before the signal cut out is him being hit. I think he was unconscious."

Ford nodded and raised the personal communicator he held to his lips. "Rescue team, report."

Static crackled and they waited patiently for someone to respond. "Nearly there. Something appears to be wrong with Darwin, sir."

Lucas leaned forward to talk into the microphone. "What's wrong with him?"

"He swimming wildly. Looks like the captain's arm is attached to his aqua-lung."

Ford could both see and hear the relief in Lucas' voice. "Darwin's bringing him back."

"Looks more like he's swimming in circles trying to dislodge him."

Ford exchanged a shocked look with Kristin and Lucas.

"He wouldn't do that," Lucas snapped.

Kristin gripped the edge of the pool so tight her knuckles turned white. "If Darwin is able to dislodge his aqua-lung, he'll have to surface for air. We have to get them back before that can happen." She looked up at Lucas, desperation in her eyes. "Tell Darwin he can have all the fish he wants if he comes back right this instant."

A chime sounded and O'Neill's voice sang through the sea deck. "Commander, there's a lot of interference down here."

Ford's brows drew together. "What kind of interference?"

"I don't know, sir, but whatever it is, its high enough frequency to cause all of the sea-life in the area to go nuts. It's messing with our sonar as well."

Ford turned to the monitor on the wall. "Let me see."

"Patching through now, sir."

The undersea camera swiveled to show the various living creatures beneath them swimming in an erratic pattern. Fish, large and small swam directionless, into one another, into the rocks below and into the seaQuest's hull.

As Darwin swam into view, they could see his swimming pattern, even with the weight of carrying the captain, was dangerously similar.

Lucas glanced up at Ford, wide-eyed. "If something is messing with our sonar, it's probably affecting Darwin's too. He uses a kind of internal sonar to navigate the water."

Ford tapped the console in front of him. "Ford to rescue team, make sure to get Darwin inside, quickly." He tapped another control. "O'Neill, we need to get to the bottom of this."

* * *

The wait, even though mere minutes had passed, was excruciating.

Kristin and Lucas stood at the moon pool, watching for anyone to appear in the water. A medical team stood to the side, waiting with their equipment. Commander Ford communicated with the bridge and the rescue team. Before he could issue another command, Kristin pointed to the center of the pool.

"There he is!" She leapt into the water and hurried over to the unconscious captain, Lucas at her heels. She pulled the breather from his mouth and unfastened the harness that kept the oxygen tank strapped to his body. It fell to the bottom of the pool with a heavy thud, but she paid it no attention.

Members of her team joined her to assess the unconscious captain's condition.

Lucas jumped into the pool and attempted to calm the agitated dolphin. He wrapped his arms around the slick, grey skin, rubbed Darwin's chin, his head, but nothing seemed to work.

Ford stood in the dryness of the landing as the medical team worked to extricate Bridger's hand from Darwin's aqua lung breathing apparatus.

Lucas looked up at Ford, his eyes wide and worried. "We need to shut the outer doors. Block the echo that is messing with Darwin's internal sonar." He rubbed the grey head as Darwin squeaked and tried to roll over in his grasp. The power in the dolphin's body knocked Lucas off balance and back into the water just as Kristin worked the captain's hand free.

Ford called the bridge.

Hitchcock's voice echoed through the sea deck. "Bridge, here."

"I need O'Neill to shut off the access tubes. I don't want that sound to penetrate seaQuest."

"The team is in. Closing outer doors now, Sir," came O'Neill's voice.

Abruptly, Darwin stopped his rocking and lifted his head out of the water. He squeaked loudly and his voice echoed through the translator in the room.

"Sounds hurt. Bridger hurt. Darwin sorry."

Lucas gently rubbed the underside of the dolphin's snout and then the top of his head. "It's ok, boy. You're safe in here." Lucas looked over at Kristin and the medical team. "And so is the captain."

* * *

"Ow!" Sensor Chief Ortiz snapped his headset off his ears with a scowl. "What _is_ that?" Ortiz squinted at the controls beneath his fingertips.

Hitchcock stepped behind him and placed her hands on the back of his chair. Her piercing blue eyes swept across his console with the precision of a woman in control of her surroundings. "Let me see."

Ortiz tapped a few commands into his console and an image of seaQuest's three small orbiting eyes and ears popped onto the screen.

"WSKR's are picking up a high-pitched echo and it keeps rebounding on us."

"Can you tell us anything we don't already know?" The strain in Hitchcock's voice was plain.

Ortiz tapped a few controls on his console and the vid screen lifted to show them the sea water outside the glass behind it. It was teaming with dead, fighting and erratically behaving sea life.

"Whatever it is it's interfering with our instruments. It will affect maneuverability, soon enough. We're sailing blind. WSKR view is sporadic at best." Ortiz looked up at Hitchcock.

"Can you fix it?"

"If I knew what was causing the problem."

Hitchcock turned toward Navigation. "Helm, get us out of here."

The chief helmsman leaned out of his seat for clarification. "Where, sir?"

Hitchcock waved a dismissive hand and turned back to Ortiz and O'Neill. "Out of this mess."

"I wouldn't advise sailing through it," O'Neill cautioned. He tapped a few more commands into his console and frowned. "I can't get an uplink to connect us with UEO headquarters. If whatever this is continues to mess with our instruments, something vital could fail." He met the commander's eyes. "Like life support, power."

"Then take us up, best speed."

"Um, sir, we're at the edge of Macronesian waters. I don't think they'd be happy to find us traipsing around their borders."

"I know where we are, helmsmen. We haven't violated any treaty. Take us up."

Shadows of some of the larger inhabitants of the sea sailed into view and Hitchcock returned to the captain's chair. She touched a control and sat down.

"Sea-deck, Commander Ford, what's going on down there?"

* * *

Kristin climbed out of the moon pool as her team pushed the stretcher up against it. "We need to move quickly! We don't know how long he's been without oxygen."

Her team lifted the captain onto the stretcher and rolled it away from the water as Kristin

pulled the zipper of his wetsuit down to his waist. She didn't need to see her colleague holding an oxygen mask to his mouth to tell he wasn't breathing. For how long, she didn't know. She forced the fear and worry from her heart and turned to the nearest tech.

She had to get his heart started again.

"I need paddles, stat!" She didn't care that she was dripping with water.

They slid into her hands with practiced ease and once the all clear had been given, she said a quick prayer and depressed the button.

The captain's body lurched suddenly off the stretcher, and the monitor chimed for a moment before returning to its flat lined position.

In the background, Darwin's insistent wail could be heard.

"Bridger hurt. Darwin sorry."

Kristin's assistant looked up with worry in his eyes. "No change."

Kristin handed the paddles to an aid at her side and reached for the open wetsuit. "We need to cut this off. Down to his waist. It could be restricting airflow."

She took a scalpel and cut from his wrist to his shoulder, carefully avoiding the IV placed in his arm – and his skin. "And push 2.5 milligrams of albuterol through the line."

She snatched the paddles away from her aide's hand and positioned them again. "Clear."

Everyone removed their hands from the captain's body and Kristin depressed the button again.

Again, she prayed, and this time, someone heard the cry.

The monitor began to chime with a pulse and Kristin closed her eyes for a moment to thank the God of land or sea, whoever had listened to her prayer.

"Should we intubate, doctor?"

Kristin glanced up at the monitor. "Not yet. His pulse ox is rising and we don't need to intubate if it reaches a high enough level."

She reached over to the tray, that another doctor had just wheeled to her, and snapped a cloth off it. Slowly, she began to clean the blood off Bridger's head. The cut revealed wasn't that deep, and had mostly closed already. "Won't even need stitches," she whispered as she dabbed at the wound. His shoulder was bruised and would probably cause a bit of pain, and she decided to do further testing to ascertain any other injuries.

"Let's get him to med bay. He's stable enough to be moved."

Kristin squeezed Ford's arm as she walked by but completely ignored Darwin, whose cries had not stopped since they'd pulled the unconscious captain out of the water.

Lucas jumped out of the pool to follow Dr. Westphalen, but Ford grasped his arm.

Lucas' eyes darted from Ford to Westphalen and her team as they rolled the captain off the deck. "What? I want to –"

"I need you on the bridge. We need to figure out what's going on."

"But the captain?"

"He's in Dr. Westphalen's capable hands."

Lucas was clearly torn. Captain Bridger had come to mean a lot to him, had become a sort of father figure Lucas could look up to and be proud of, since his own father had failed miserably at the task. "But –"

"She'll call us if there is any change."

Lucas hesitated only a moment before he let Ford guide him toward the bridge.

* * *

When Ford and Lucas arrived, there was a flurry of activity and a tension that only the potential loss of a commanding officer could cause. Ford stopped beside Hitchcock, sitting now at her own console, while Lucas moved toward O'Neill and WSKR operator, Ortiz.

"Status?" Ford's eyes darted around the room, taking in everyone's positions.

"How's the captain, sir?" Hitchcock asked.

Ford could see the concern in her eyes and pursed his lips.

"Alive. Dr. Westphalen's taking good care of him." He looked down at the captain's station and touched a few buttons. "Depth and speed?"

"We're surfacing, sir."

The surprise on Ford's face was evident. "What? Why?" All he needed was an international incident on his hands if a hostile confederation found seaQuest patrolling their waters.

"The sea life. It became aggressive all of a sudden. We don't know why." Ford could see her decision to take the boat up weighed heavily. It wasn't often they brought the large submarine to the surface in potentially hostile territory.

"I felt it was preferable to letting them suicide themselves against our hull, sir."

Ford glanced at navigation. "Speed and distance to surface?"

"ETA upworld is 3 minutes sir, one quarter speed."

Ford nodded his approval and moved toward the station where Lucas stood working with Ortiz and O'Neill. "Push us a bit further away from their border. I don't want an incident, here. And send a transmission to UEO headquarters and let them know we're going to investigate the source of the disturbance." Ford rested his hand on the back of Ortiz' chair. "Any idea what caused the sea life to suddenly lose their minds?"

Lucas looked up from the controls while O'Neill carried out Ford's order to contact UEO headquarters. "Some kind of sonar disruption. We haven't figured out the cause or where it's coming from. WSKR telemetry is a bit sporadic."

"Let's figure it out, we don't want to put ourselves too far off schedule. We've been ordered upworld to celebrate the launch of your father's World Power project."

Ford could see Lucas frown, but said nothing.

"Yeah, I'm thrilled," said Lucas dryly.

It was no secret Lucas wasn't happy about being forced upworld for this celebration. His father was a busy and popular man who had made no time for his only child during his entire tour on the seaQuest. Ford completely understood the kid's reluctance to see the man again at an event celebrating his world-renowned achievement in bringing free power to every corner of the globe.

TBC

* * *

Thanks for the comments on the first part! I didn't expect to get any, thinking this fandom was pretty old and no one would be reading anything anymore. It was a pleasant surprise. Hope you enjoyed this new part. Please comment if you did, or even if you didn't!


	3. Act II

**Act II**

_The sea was in his blood. It drew him to its watery depths 30 years ago, and despite his best efforts to abandon it, he could not ignore its siren call. To this day, he would say he was coerced into touring this boat he designed, in hopes that he would take the helm and captain the greatest sea faring vessel ever created. But really, it was his love of the sea that drew him back– and a young genuis' innocent comment about never expecting the changes life tended to throw at you at the most unexpected moments.._

_The excitement and adventure he felt when sailing beneath the ocean was unmatched. He knew he would die here one day, and when he'd felt Darwin's fin connect with his unprotected head and push him into the reef, he was afraid that day had come far sooner than he'd anticipated._

_Nathan Bridger frantically reached for the dolphin he had saved from a fishermen's net but Darwin was swimming erratically, his loud cries beneath the water unending and strange._

_Nathan was shoved back again by the franticly bucking bulk of the dolphin's body, and this time, rock began to descend from above. The last thing Nathan remembered was wrapping his wrist tightly into Darwin's aqua-lung and praying that the dolphin would get him back to the boat before he inhaled too much water._

Nathan slowly opened his eyes and squinted, the need for them to adjust to the stark white light a necessary evil after having been closed for so long.

He could sense someone beside him and his head lolled to one side. He let out a small breath of relief when Dr. Westphalen stepped into his view.

"Kristin," he whispered and smiled when he felt her slide her hand into his.

"You gave us quite a scare, captain." Her voice was soft and gentle, but held an underlying tone of reproachment.

He chuckled gently. "Gave myself one."

"With all that blood, one would have thought you'd have a few more injuries to show for it." Kristin sounded disappointed, but he could see the twinkle in her eyes. Over the last year, he'd learned how to identify when she was joking and when she wasn't.

Nathan wet his lips before speaking. "Would it make you feel better to hear that I feel worse than I probably look?"

Kristin tenderly flattened the palm of her hand against his cheek. "No. It really wouldn't."

Silence descended for a few moments and Nathan simply lay there, enjoying the cool touch of her hand against his face. "So, what happened?"

"Ford's on the bridge with Lucas trying to figure it out."

Sadness passed across his face before he could hide it. "Darwin went nuts on me."

"We know. There was some kind of sonar disruption. Lucas thinks it was the cause of agitating Darwin and all the other sea-life."

He tried to sit up, but his bruised muscles would have none of it and he settled back down onto the bed. "Any idea of the cause?"

"None." Kristin put her hands on his arm. "And you're under doctor's orders to remain in bed for the next few hours at least."

Nathan's eyes widened. "But –"

"I'm well aware of your dislike for hospitals, but in this case, I'm pulling rank." Kristin crossed her arms to further illustrate her point. "Commander Ford is perfectly capable of handling this."

He'd have chuckled at the stubbornness in her voice if it didn't hurt so much to do so.

* * *

"So, much for a peaceful trip," Supply and Morale Officer Kreig muttered. He stood beside Hitchock, watching the screen as the ship rose to the surface.

"Don't you have anything better to do?" Hitchcock snapped.

"Nope, supplies all accounted for," Kreig said proudly. "I'm going to be one of the first off the boat this time."

"Commander?"

Kreig and Hitchcock turned at the sound of O'Neill's voice.

Ford looked up from his console. "What is it?"

"Underwater research facility five miles out, depth 1200 feet. It appears to be the source of the sonar bursts."

Ford glanced up. "Helm, plot course, best speed. Take us down on top of it."

"Aye, sir."

"Seismic activity is growing in that region," Lucas added, looking up from the control panel in front of him.

Ford's eyes narrowed. "Slow to one half."

"Aye," came the confirmation from helm control.

"Give me WSKR view, Ortiz."

Ortiz tapped a few controls and on the screen in front of them popped the triangular WSKR view. The view of the oval shape of the research facility was full of static but it was there.

"Send aft WSKR to the research center. I want to see what's down there."

"The researchers are just mapping how quickly lava cools when it hits ocean water and what kind of effect is has on the ecological life of the area." Lucas' eyes leveled on Ford. "They wouldn't have equipment capable of causing such an aggressive emotional change in the sea-life."

"Well, apparently they do. Where's that view, Ortiz?"

"Coming up . . . now, sir."

Across the front of the floating, circular metal structure of the WSKR, a steam of smoke shot straight through the water, knocking the WSKR off course. The vid screen snapped off.

"What happened?" Ford asked, his eyes sweeping around the room, expecting an answer.

"Hydrothermal vent from the undersea volcano." Lucas answered. A map of the region's tectonic and volcanic activity, sat displayed on the screen in front of him.

"Your WSKR ok, Ortiz?"

"Just shaken a little, sir."

"So long as he's not stirred, too," Ford retorted with a small smile. "Get it back online. I want a closer view of those vents."

* * *

Kristin held a cup of water to Nathan's mouth just as the boat shook. Water sloshed over the cup and wet the blanket covering his torso – and her hand.

"What was that?"

Nathan threw back the blanket covering his legs and attempted to stand. He stopped when Kristin bestowed on him one of her patented move-and-you-die, looks. He'd become quite familiar with her feisty temper over the last year. It was quite the attractive trait when not aimed at him.

Nathan acquiesced, for now. "Well then get me an open channel to the bridge."

Kristin touched a control on the nearby wall and expectantly turned to Nathan.

He wasted no time in asking his question. "Bridge, what's going on up there?"

"Captain, good to hear your voice, sir."

Nathan rolled his eyes.

"Yes, the Doctor has worked miracles. Now, why is my boat making like she's being tossed about in a hurricane?"

"We've pinpointed the location of the sonar disruption. We're attempting to make contact with the facility now."

Nathan raised an eyebrow and exchanged a look with Kristin.

"Any response?"

"None, sir."

"What's causing the –"

The boat lurched sharply to one side, nearly throwing Nathan out of bed.

Nathan gave Kristin a half-hearted smile. "It's clearly trying to tell me I need to be on my feet."

"Captain?" Fords voice sounded concerned.

"I'm fine, Commander. I'll be there in a minute."

Nathan glanced at the IV in his arm. "Take this out, will you?"

Kristin did as she was asked, scowling all the way. "You've sustained a head injury, Nathan, now is not the time to be out of bed."

Nathan's eyes twinkled, and despite his best efforts to keep his mouth closed, the retort just slipped out too quickly. "If I didn't know any better, Doctor, I'd say you were trying to keep me in bed."

The connection with the bridge was still active, but the two ignored the static.

Kristin stopped her fidgeting and met his amused gaze with a shocked one of her own. "I'm quite sure if I wanted you in bed, I could find other ways than knocking you over the head to keep you there."

Nathan laughed and accepted her help as he swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood. He raised an amused eyebrow at the remains of his wet suit dangling at his waist. "Looks like I need to stop in my quarters, too. Wouldn't do to have me walk onto the bridge half clothed, now, would it?"

Kristin shot him an amused and innocent look. "Of course not."

Together, they walked out of the medical bay, Kristin supporting the captain far more than his manly ego could really accept, but that his desire to be closer to her fully appreciated.

* * *

When Nathan and Kristin reached the bridge, Chief of Security Manilow Crocker at their heels, Ford had just ordered an alert.

"Status?"

"The volcano is about the blow, sir. Thermal vents keep breaking through the sea bed and causing turbulence in the water. That's the rocking we've been feeling."

He turned to Hitchcock. "Damage?"

"Negligible."

Bridger stepped forward and steadied himself on the captain's chair.

"And to add even more fun to the mix, see those towers over there?" Ford pointed toward the corner of the screen.

Bridger squinted. "They look like turbines."

"That's right."

"Part of the research facility's power generating function?"

"Nope." Lucas was less than enthusiastic when delivering the news. "Part of the grandiose World Power, project."

Bridger groaned. "Oh."

"Yeah, and if the volcano erupts and sends lava in that direction –"

"No world day celebration." Bridger sighed. "I see the dilemma."

Kristin shook her head. "There are no mapped thermoclines in this area or even volcanic activity. How has this happened?"

"Maybe that facility was researching more than their charter indicates?" Hitchcock offered, who looked up from her terminal with a frown.

It wasn't the time to be pondering larger issues – Bridger kept his gaze on the front vid screen and ignored the Hitchcock's question. "We're seeing a fair bit of evidence that there's plenty of activity now, Doctor. How old are your reports?"

"Not more than a year." Kristin frowned. "Not only will, for the immediate moment anyway, all the biologic's close to the vent die out, a large imminent eruption might take the research center with it." Kristin pointed at the screen, completely unconcerned with the discussion of protecting World Power's turbines. "Are there any survivors? Can we send a team?"

"We've done a surface scan, and there are no readings. Most of the facility is filled with water. Only the struts are keeping it from completely sinking to the ocean floor."

"Well we need to stop that sonar echo that is driving the sea life crazy."

"We could just wait for the volcano to erupt and take out the facility," Kreig offered with a shrug.

"That's taking a chance that it actually does. If we can confirm no life aboard, we're going to destroy it." Bridger turned to helm control. "I want a firing solution to demolish that facility that will impact as little of the surrounding area as possible."

"On it."

"Then plot me a solution to vent the lava in a direction away from World Power's expensive turbines."

"Are we sure there is no one alive in there?" Kristin asked. She had to be sure.

"Launches have been blown away from the airlock."

Kristin turned to Chief Crocker. "We should really try and get over there to collect their research. Find out if something they've done caused this."

Crocker shook his head. "Not unless we wear wetsuits and plan to swim through the facility. It's filled with water. There won't be any data to recover."

The ship rocked to the side as rolling cloud of steam from the volcanic vent impacted with the hull.

Bridger whirled toward Hitchcock. "Integrity?"

"Minimul damage, Captain. Hull tolerance at 50 percent."

"Move us away from those vents. Weapons. Firing solution?"

"Plotting."

"O'Neill, get me UEO headquarters."

"Can't sir, thermoclines are disrupting communications."

"Use a WSKR to bounce the sat signal to the nearest communication buoy."

"Sir, firing solution ready."

"Helm, back us up. WSKR view on front screen. Weapons, prepare to fire." Bridger gripped the back of his chair tightly.

"Nathan?" Kristin placed a hand on his wrist. He glanced down at for a moment before meeting her eyes. "We need to know what went on down here. Why is there suddenly activity in this region when there wasn't any before?"

"If we wait much longer that place is going to collapse." He calmed a bit and placed his free hand over hers. "I couldn't agree more, but we need to control how this place drops, otherwise –"

Kristin pulled her hand from his. "Otherwise, we risk damaging the precious World Power turbines."

Nathan exhaled slowly. "Kristin."

Kristin wasn't looking at him anymore. She was staring at the vid screen. He knew she understood the importance of the World Power Project. The initiative provided free, unlimited power to the world, but she didn't have to like it.

Bridger set his jaw and turned to Ford. "Commander, on my mark."

Ford nodded and took a seat. "Transfer weapons control to my console."

"Aye."

Ford looked up at the captain. "Ready."

"Flood tubes 1 and 2. Sound alert."

Alarm klaxons began to flicker yellow against the walls. Bridger took a deep breath and nodded. "Fire."

Torpedoes shot out of the belly of the submarine and quickly impacted with the struts holding the research center above the sea bed floor. It collapsed quickly as buoyed pieces of steel could at the bottom of the ocean. The impact kicked up enough dust to block all visibility being relayed back from the WSKR's.

Bridger glanced forward. "Mr. Ortiz, give me WSKR view as soon as possible, please."

"Waiting for the dust to clear, sir."

Kristin Westphalen turned on her heel and began to walk away, disgust plainly written across her face.

The ship shook violently, and Kristin was pushed off her feet. She landed hard against the moon pool and Nathan hurried to her side and pulled her up.

"You ok?"

Kristin nodded but he noticed her grimace as she held her wrist.

Nathan took it gently and began to rub it with his fingers. "Are you all right?" His crew was otherwise occupied, and he was concerned that she'd injured herself.

"WSKR telemetry on forward screen. It's grainy, sir."

Nathan wrapped his arm around Kristin's shoulders and walked forward. The picture flickered a few times before settling on a vent pulsing thermo-heated air and lava into the water.

Bridger turned to Ford. "The demolition kicked off the eruption?"

"It appears so, sir."

"The water will cool the lava in seconds," Kristin chimed in, her voice certain.

As the words left her mouth, the water cooled the topmost part of the lava, creating a dull crust.

Bridger turned to Kristin for confirmation. "But it's still flowing hotly beneath that, yes?"

"Well, yes, but it will stop eventually."

"Mr. Ortiz, give me WSKR view ahead of that flow."

World Power turbines came into view and Bridger swore beneath his breath.

"We need to re-direct that lava flow. Helm, give me a firing solution."

Bridger shifted slightly. His body ached and the medication was beginning to wear off. His head was beginning to hurt and he was annoyed that all of this had happened a few days before leave.

A gentle but insistent touch drew him from his thoughts and he smiled as the Doctor looked him straight in the eye.

"You need to sit."

"I'm fine."

"Sit or I'll confine you to medbay."

Bridger stared at her with an incredulous look on his face but the fiery look in her eyes bespoke the truth behind her words. He knew she could do it. She knew, that he knew, she could do it. He capitulated with a frown and sank into the captain's chair.

"Solution on screen, sir."

"Flood tubes three through seven, arm warheads to full." Bridger gave a curt nod to Ford. "Let's create a nice little trench for our friendly superheated lava to flow into. Fire."

Ford, hand hovering over the controls, pressed them in succession. "Torpedoes away, sir."

WSKR view disappeared and the vid screen flickered for a moment. Dust and sediment from the ocean floor rose and surrounded the boat, obscuring their vision. When it cleared, the turbines were still standing and they could see the hardened crust of the lava trailing into the newly made trench and away from the World Power turbines.

A collective cheer went up on the bridge and the captain smiled appreciatively. "Good work, Commander."

Chief Crocker eagerly slapped the captain on the shoulder. "Saved the world, sir."

Nathan turned to his old friend. "To be perfectly honest and blunt –"

Crocker's eyes twinkled. "Have you ever been anything but, sir?"

Bridger grinned and leaned back in his chair, exhaustion and bruised muscles dictating the motion. "I could do with less saving and more exploring."

He didn't miss the appreciative look Kristin shot in his direction. He really was more of a scientist and he knew that's why he'd been chosen to captain the seaQuest.

O'Neill turned to look at the captain. "Communications coming back online."

Nathan nodded and settled his gaze on Lucas. "How is Darwin?"

Lucas immediately hurried over to the moon pool and rubbed the excitedly chirping dolphin's head. He'd been quietly watching everything going on, swimming up from the sea deck as soon as everyone had left it.

"He's doing ok."

Bridger turned toward Navigation. "Helm, keep us steady, let's observe for a bit before we leave the area."

He could feel Kristin gently squeeze his shoulder in thanks.

"I'll have my team standing by." The doctor turned to the chief. "Watch him, will you. I don't want to have to treat any more injuries sustained by a stubborn captain who thinks he's healthier than he really is."

Bridger rolled his eyes at her. "I'm fine."

"I'll come check on you later."

Nathan smiled and followed her with his eyes as she left the bridge.

With difficulty, he turned his gaze forward. "Contact UEO headquarters and give them an eta." He stood with a wince, his bruised muscles protesting the motion. "Get me a secure link to the Secretary General's office and patch it through to the ward room."

TBC

* * *

Thanks for the comments. I'm glad this tale is being enjoyed. There's one more part and then it will be over.


	4. Act III

**Act III**

Secretary General William Noyce, head of the United Earth Oceans Organization, sat calmly behind his desk, his hands folded atop a closed folder bearing the UEO seal. "When World Power goes online in a week, this little incident will be all but forgotten."

Nathan pursed his lips. "What was that research facility really doing down there, Bill?" The two had been friends for a long time, and as such, rank did not matter when holding a private conversation.

"That's classified, Nathan."

Nathan leaned back in his seat and folded his arms. "So you're not going to tell me?"

"In this case, I'm afraid I can't."

"Just tell me it's not something that will cause another war."

"That research facility wasn't in Macronesian waters."

"It was damn close, Bill, and you know it." Nathan scowled at his friend.

"Be that as it may, no treaties were violated and as you well know, seaQuest is free to travel international waters."

"But the UEO is not so free to build unmanned research facilities in potentially hostile Confederation territories." Nathan had a nagging feeling in his gut and he wasn't about to let it go.

Noyce's eyes flickered for a moment and Nathan knew he'd stumbled onto something. "Why wasn't the station manned?" When no answer was forthcoming, Nathan continued. "How about this, then. Why was it sending out a signal so strong that it disabled our sonar and caused every living creature within a five mile radius to lose their fishy little minds?"

"We don't know."

"Well, what do you know?" Nathan was agitated, but it was par for the course when dealing with the military brass. "If we encounter this again, I'd rather not sail blind into a sea cliff because our sonar is malfunctioning. And I'm sure you'd rather not have to write a condolence letter to the families of every man and woman on my boat." Nathan leaned forward, his gaze steady. "My ghost would haunt you, Bill."

Noyce hesitated before leaning closer to the vid screen. "It was a test site for the World Power, project."

Nathan's mouth snapped closed. "Testing what?" Nathan 's eyes narrowed when Noyce didn't answer. "Put me on the need-to-know-list, Bill."

"The facility was researching the possibility of sub-atomic nuclear reactors to tap into the crust of the earth to power the turbines."

Nathan slammed his fists onto the desk and stood. "Are you crazy?!"

Noyce raised his hand, a familiar gesture Nathan knew was meant to calm him. "The project was abandoned some time ago. Don't get so bent out of shape -"

Nathan was incredulous. "The UEO preaches peace, sends out its most powerful submarine to _enforce_ that peace, and yet conducts such hazardous testing in foreign waters?" He began to pace. If he didn't, he was going to throw something. "Now I understand why the facility was so close to another Confederation's border."

"The decision was made that if something were to go wrong, it was better if it went wrong far away."

Nathan rolled his eyes. "I don't think I want to hear any more, Bill."

"Please understand, Nathan, I didn't sanction this. The decision was made long before I took office. It's done. It's over, and there's never been another facility built to replace it. World Power is set to go online without having to go to the lengths outlined in that facilities charter."

Nathan shook his head. "The next time I ask to be put on the need-to-know list, Bill, tell me no."

Noyce grinned. "I'll remember you said that, Nathan. Now hurry back. You wouldn't want to miss the celebration."

"Free world power." Nathan shook his head. "Almost too good to believe."

* * *

Gingerly, Nathan sat at a table in the mess. The tray he carried held only a minimal meal, one he knew would be generously added to were a certain doctor present. He was a little sore, but the pain medication he'd swiped off the doctor's desk in med bay while she was attending to wounded sea-life had helped considerably.

He nodded to Supply Officer Ben Krieg as he entered with Chief Crocker, their plates laden with food.

Bridger raised an eyebrow as they approached and waved his hands at the empty seats surrounding his table.

"What?" Krieg looked down at his tray. "Have to take advantage of the free meals while they last! Tour's almost over."

Bridger took a sip of his soup. "I would expect nothing less, Lieutenant."

Nathan noticed Lucas and Kristin walk into the mess and glanced uncertainly down at his food.

"Oh, she's gonna be mad at you."

Bridger scowled at Crocker and took another sip of his soup. He really wasn't that hungry, but he knew as soon as they saw him, they'd head right on over. Out of the corner of his eye he could also see Crocker smile.

"Oh, there's Katie," Kreig stood and picked up his tray. "We've got some things to – discuss."

Nathan raised an eyebrow and leaned close to Crocker. "No. You think?"

"Tour's over, Captain. Or almost." The twinkle in Crocker's gaze was unmistakable and Nathan really wished his friend couldn't read him so well. "Anything's possible. Didn't think those two would ever get back together, though."

A smiling Lucas rested his hand on the back of the chair Kreig had just vacated. "This taken?"

Bridger extended his hand. "No, by all means, sit."

"Is that all you're eating?" Kristin began immediately. She didn't ask if the other empty chair at the table was taken, she just sat down.

Nathan exchanged an exasperated look with Crocker, who immediately took a bit of his own food.

"I'm not hungry."

"All that medication in your system is going to make you sick if you don't put something substantial in there."

"I'll eat more later."

Nathan could see Lucas grin and dig into his own food. He had a hard time keeping his own smile to himself. "I promise."

"I'll hand deliver a nice big meal to you in the middle of the night if you break that promise." Kristin took a delicate bite of her sandwich.

Bridger weighed the consequences of not vehemently rejecting that idea with the amount of satisfaction he'd get if she actually _did_ pay him a visit in the middle of the night. For decorum's sake, he knew he'd need to speak up. "I'm sure that won't be necessary."

For a fleeting moment, he thought he saw disappointment cross her face. But it was quickly masked when Crocker asked her a question.

"So is the Cap gonna be well enough to enjoy leave?"

Nathan exchanged a look with Kristin but before he could answer that he was fine, the doctor spoke for him.

"He'll be quite ready to enjoy his time off if I have to confine him to quarters to recover until its time to go upworld."

Lucas laughed into his soup and Nathan scowled at him. But that didn't stop the youngster from exchanging a knowing look with Crocker. "It's gonna be an interesting summer."

Nathan glanced innocently at the genius. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Crocker laughed then, and even Kristin joined in while Nathan took a bite of the sandwich she had sneakily slipped onto his plate. He certainly hoped it would be an interesting summer, but no one else needed to know that.

END

* * *

Thanks to those who followed along with this story. It was really fun playing in this sandbox. Maybe I'll do another at some point.

Now, I just want to comment on those who have left such great feedback.

**Blueeyedbrigadier** – you've been following my stuff since my Firefly days and I'm glad you liked this story as well.

So...should we be assuming that the sonic disturbances that SeaQuest appeared to stop by torpedoing the facility are related to the S1 finale, when the World Power project backfires and SeaQuest is forced to become the world's biggest plug?

Yes, it is meant to be related to the series finale and a kind of mistake on seaQuest's part for not investigating that facility further. As that station is where the real trouble began (well, in my little world, that is! But I think it's believable) that we see culminate in the season 1 finale. The worlds biggest plug had me giggling all day. Thanks for that:)

**Firebunee** – I'm glad there are others out there who miss the show. I don't so much miss the second and third seasons. They were ok as standalones but just too different from the original premise of the show. And then there were the cast departures, which I hated. Thanks for reading and I'm glad you enjoyed the story.

**Maoyoroscommon** – Thanks for commenting on characterization. It's real important to me to get it right because without it, a story is just an author's fantasy and not an extension of the show. I've never written in this world before and I'm glad I got it at least somewhat believable. As for writing more, I've got a few outlines, but I really should get back to writing stuff that can make me money. But – we'll see!

**Shudunedus** – Thanks for the comments. As you can see, I've completed it:) I don't like to start posting a story until I'm done writing it. I've learned from my past mistakes on that subject! Please feel free to list what you feel I should improve upon. I'm more than willing to re-evaluate how I've written something if someone thinks it doesn't mesh with the feel of the show.

**Anon** – Well, if you're someone who has left comments in the story before, thank you! :) If this is your first, thanks as well. And thank you for commenting on the characterization My beta had never seen the show and I'm always concerned with getting characterization right, so I'm glad I appear to have gotten it at least this time around.

**Wondermum**- I did try to follow normal hour long episodic structure when writing this. It, strangely, fell into place really well. There could have been one more chapter, but I didn't want to draw it out. Thanks for your comments and I'm glad you enjoyed the story!

**Wanda** – I only kept you in suspense for a day. :) But – really, the exciting part is over anyway. It's just the wrap up now. Hope you enjoy.

Thanks, again, for your comments everyone. And do tell me what you think of the last chapter and/or the story as a whole.


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